Evesham iplayer - the Freeview PVR you've dreamt about!

[agentdav0]

cliff203.. good point. Add that to the list Bob.

[daniel_owen_uk]

NAS isn't likely to be possilbe, the microsoft part of the box will make you use Windows media connect.

[Bob Crabtree]

Bob, please forgive a new boy to this lark asking silly questions.

Is it possible to stream video from a PC or NAS device while simultaneously recording from air.

Cliff,

No forgiveness granted - cos none necessary!

Yes, it can record from its own tuner while pulling in and displaying a programme you've stored on a PC.

Playback from NAS - I suspect - won't be possible unless, that is, the NAS box can somehow pretend to be a Windows Media Connect device - and that, I'm kind of hoping, may already be possible with some NAS boxes but is, I imagine, something that the DLNA is working towards making possible more generally.

The way that Netgem - the iplayer's maker - was talking at the Evesham event leads me to believe that company is working closely to conform to DLNA standards but, right now, I don't know whether or not the iplayer does that.

This is one of the many questions I need to put to Netgem.

As for DLNA - see this report what I did writ after IFA: DLNA - the key building block of your digital life?

Oh, and I'm also a little surprised to be able to say that the iplayer can record one program while playing another - again, that's something I've just successfully tried.

Will the ability to connect to USB externals allow direct saving to the external drive.

This I don't know for sure - we are awaiting the update that enables the use of external drives. If the update doesn't arrive before I'm ready to finish the review (and that time is still a good way off), then I'll ask Evesham and Netgem what they're claiming will be the capabilities and then revise the review after the update comes available.

[Bob Crabtree]

Lack of divx & h264 would stop me buying that, although admittedly it's more a network media player I am after rather than a freeview PVR.

Er, it does play DivX streaming off of a PC and it does play h264 in the same way (though not all flavours).

[Bob Crabtree]

Okay a likkle updater on USB.

A USB keyboard does work when plugged into the iplayer but doesn't, of course have all the functionality that it does when plugged into a PC.

I've now tried out a USB hard drive too, and this works - well, in as much as I can play files on the iplayer from hard disk attached to the iplayer via USB.

The iplayer has installed the 4.7.21 English software, dated Nov 22 '06.

However, currently, I am unable to copy recordings directly from the iplayer to an attached USB hard disk (something I can do via Ethernet to a PC, though).

So, to get media onto that disk drive, what I have to do is attach the disk drive to a PC and either copy from the PC to USB hard disk or use the iplayer to copy via Ethernet to the USB hard disk when it's attached to the PC.

Then, I have to disconnect the USB hard disk from the PC and connect it to the iplayer.

I'm hoping that the update that Evesham said is coming within two weeks (from the date of the event on Nov 23) will add the capability to copy files directly to a USB hard disk from the iplayer, cos the present route for getting stuff onto the USB hard disk is rather inelegant.

[t_aitch]

This is most likely a question not really just applicable to the iPlayer, but to all video streamers, and could also be a possible test when reviewing this bit of kit.

What would the video/audio streaming quality be like when being streamed over a wireless connection (eg. 54mbps).

As you can imagine, most people (including myself) dont have a network port in their living room, so it would be good to see the results with this connected to a WAP and then bridged to a router.

Im most likely gonna buy one of these anyway, even if it means my housemate running a cable down to the living room, which may be our only option, but it would be interesting to see the results of this.

Obviously its not going to be as good as wired, and file browsing is going to be slow.

The only other option for people without an ethernet port in their living room, is to use Power over ethernet, but im not sure what this is like.

[Bob Crabtree]

This is most likely a question not really just applicable to the iPlayer, but to all video streamers, and could also be a possible test when reviewing this bit of kit.

What would the video/audio streaming quality be like when being streamed over a wireless connection (eg. 54mbps).

Next to useless for video that's half-decent but fine for music and stills.

As you can imagine, most people (including myself) dont have a network port in their living room, so it would be good to see the results with this connected to a WAP and then bridged to a router.

I won't be testing it this way because I don't happen to have a WAP but, more importantly, because I've already done lots of tests in the past with other kit that shows that WAP - at 54Mbps - isn't suitable for higher data-rate video.

Sort of confirming that's the case, I've tried out 85Mbps HomePlug Ethernet-over-mains method (just very briefly, not for any length of time so far) and that wasn't a happy experience - even though it had worked fine for me using a Pinnacle ShowCenter 200 network media player.

The iplayer's maker, Netgem, recommends the 200Mbps version of HomePlug and I hope to have some of that kit turning up shortly, and I will detail my experiences with it in the write up.

[t_aitch]

Ok cool, thanks for the info on this.

I looked on the Evesham website, and it looks as though they do a 200mbps box, and a pair of these will set you back £124, so i think i would be best just getting a cable in there.

Be good to see the results though from this.

[Cliff203]

I've not yet exported anything to PC cos to do this - in my view - needs a keyboard - I can't be arsed using an IR handset to key in stuff like the IP address, folder name, password - which is what looks to be required.

This seems a bit primative! Is it not possible to navigate to default media folders using a menu?

[daniel_owen_uk]

Er, it does play DivX streaming off of a PC and it does play h264 in the same way (though not all flavours).

Was talking about the panny mate.

[t_aitch]

I'm not sure if anyone else was wondering this. But i live in a house with 2 computers, one of these has a large source of music on it, and another with Divx and other video content on it.

Ideally i would like to stream from two media sources, obviously this isnt entirely possible, so would it be possible to summarise how easy it is to switch from one media source to another? (ie changing the ip address of the streaming source).

[DarkTeckno]

I think i'll wait until it comes down in price. £300 is just too steep!

[t_aitch]

£300 is a very steep price, but this is offering the abilitys of 3 boxes all in one, which when bought seperately would total over £500. (Humax HD Thingy, 80GB HD Recorder, Media Streamer).

[Bob Crabtree]

I'm not sure if anyone else was wondering this. But i live in a house with 2 computers, one of these has a large source of music on it, and another with Divx and other video content on it.

Ideally i would like to stream from two media sources, obviously this isnt entirely possible, so would it be possible to summarise how easy it is to switch from one media source to another? (ie changing the ip address of the streaming source).

This is one of the easiest elements of the iplayer to use.

You see what servers are available in a menu and just click the one you want.

[Bob Crabtree]

This seems a bit primative! Is it not possible to navigate to default media folders using a menu?

No - only one at a time.

[wudang]

I understand any attached USB hard disk needs to be FAT32 format. Given FAT32 restricts file size to 4GB maximum and a single 1 hour recorded HD TV programme requires over 5GB of space how does this square with the HD ready, future proof claim